Ballard emphasized that injured reserve was not an option for Luck, but when asked if the signal-caller would play at all this season, Ballard told reporters: "I don't want to speculate right now. I'm not going to put a timeline on that right now."

Instead, the Colts plan to treat Luck with a cortisone shot and "try [to] shut him down and calm it down for right now."

Ballard told reporters he didn't "think it [would] be long," before Luck returned to practice, but added: "I don't want to give you an exact date."

"Every player is different, every rehab is different, every rehab is different, every surgery is different -- and that's why we haven't put a timeline on this," Ballard said. "Every guy is different. And the good news is Andrew is very in-tune with his body and he's being honest with what's going on, and that's what we want, that's what we need. I don't think anyone in this room can question Andrew Luck's toughness and willingness and ability to go out and play with pain."

The upshot: We have no idea when -- or if -- Luck will take the field during his star-crossed 2017 campaign. For now, Indy rides on with Jacoby Brissett.